White matter injury (WMI) is a major form of brain injury in preterm infants. Its characteristic pathological features primarily involve impaired development of oligodendrocyte precursor cells and structural damage to axons, which can lead to the neurological sequelae such as motor, behavioral, and cognitive dysfunctions. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), as the important components of extracellular matrix, can participate in neuroinflammatory response mediated by microglial cells and dynamically balance glial scar reconstruction and axon growth by regulating specific receptors and signaling pathways. This article reviews the relationship between CSPGs and WMI, as well as the mechanisms by which CSPGs inhibit axon growth, focusing on the role of multi-target regulation of CSPGs in promoting axon plasticity and functional brain recovery, thereby providing a theoretical basis for improving the prognosis of preterm infants with WMI.